Re: Parsee General Hospital – Potential Loss of US $ 22.5 Million by Parsee Community

Referring to the article in the Parsee Times and other leading newspapers and social media, dated 17^th November 2018, the President, Mr. Homa Petit has clearly stated the facts of the potential loss to the Community if this project does not take off, due to the misleading / misguided information from a few who wish to derail this project.

I would like to urge every Parsi / Irani Zoroastrian to come forward in support of this project, as this is for the benefit of the Community on the whole. I don’t see anything wrong if the community is going to be provided with “state of art facilities” while the PGH works on recovering the losses incurred over a period of time due to the various reasons given in the article.

PGH is a house hold name for us Zoroastrians…. Our forefathers have availed services of this hospital at the time of medical illness / insurgencies. Today, when PGH wants to take a step forward for the betterment of the Community, putting a spanner in the wheel will only take us many steps backward.

As a personal request, I urge each one of you to wholeheartedly support this – NOBLE CAUSE and ENSURE IT GOES THROUGH SUCCESSFULLY!

A Ray Of Hope!

In this Noble Cause, I see a ray of Hope,

For the poor, of our Community to Cope!

Our rich and affluent to other hospitals go,

To Jaslok, Saifee, Breach Candy, you know!

But what about Our less fortunate crowd?

Let, “state of art facilities”, for them, be allowed.

The “Petits” have been selfless all these years,

It’s time we stand up for them and say Cheers!

Their timeless efforts must not go in vain,

Let Community service and philanthropy reign!

If given a chance, I feel assured,

Even the poorest of poor, will surely be cured!

With love and care as they have always done,

Let’s show that our community is ONE IN A BILLION!

Samanaz Neville Lashkari [samanazn@hotmail.com] Mumbai.

  

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Parsi Lagan Nu Bhonu

The Lagan /Navjote season has started and Parsis and Non-Parsis in Mumbai long  for  an invitation to a Bawa wedding/Navjote mainly to relish the Parsi Patru  by Parsi caterers like Godiwala, Khambata, Patel, etc. Even the Parsis from abroad come to Mumbai to celebrate their  once in a life time event in Mumbai in the traditional and most memorable Bawa style

Of late it is seen that in our Baugs,  non Parsi caterers are getting most of the catering orders as they entice the hosts by offering superb starters. As a result, our own Parsi caterers are being side-lined.  This is a sad state of affairs which has started as the real charm of a Bawa wedding/Navjote is our baug and patru nu bhonu, else there is no difference in having the event in any hotel but one does not get the feel of having attended a Parsi event that is looked forward by one and all.

The non Parsi caterers also serve Parsi dishes like Sali boti and patri ni machi  in main course, but it is a far cry from the authentic Parsi dish cooked by our Parsi caterers and cannot be matched in taste at all with what our Parsi caterers serve. The deliciousness of our ‘sass ni machi’ or ‘pulav dal’ or ‘Sali boti’, ‘tarkari per eeda’, which are relished by one and all, cannot be  replicated by any other caterer or hotels.

So, it is a sincere appeal to all those Bawas celebrating lagans and navjotes to please continue to patronize our own caterers (whose predecessors eg. Freny Godiwala, Navroji Patel) have also served the Parsi community. If the trend of hiring non Parsi caterers for our most crucial and traditional events like Lagans and Navjotes continues (though personally  one has nothing against them, and what’s more, Non Parsee hosts rarely engage Parsee caterers for their functions), the day will not be far when our own caterers will be a rare sight at our own functions! And their business, which is only seasonal, will be badly affected at the hands of our own community members.

Hence I write this fervent appeal to ensure that our Parsipanu and Lagan nu Bhonu, which is our  trademark at our functions, is continued, and we patronize our own brethren caterers at Lagans / Navjotes. You can always enjoy the food served by Non Parsi caterers at various hotels/clubs  when one attends functions other than our lagans/navjotes.

Veera Mundroina <veera.mundroina@gmail.com>

 

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PGH – Loss or Gain?

 With the Donors weary of the stalemate afflicting the proposal to incorporate within the PGH property a Cosmopolitan Hospital with the latest of facilities, we may lose out on a timely opportunity to bring PGH out of the red.

I don’t see anything wrong with this Proposal, with all modern medical amenities that can be availed of even by our old PGH.

My only caveat would be: keep a separate entrance to the new facility, with a totally walled-up division between the new wing and our dear, old estate with its exclusive, quiet garden and parking facility. A connection between the old and the new can be established by bridge-passage(s) at upper levels, for ease of transferring patients for tests, etc.

The tranquillity and ‘atmosphere’ of our old PGH should not be compromised at any cost.

Phiroze Javeri <phiroze.javeri@gmail.com>